A day after federal agents forcibly restrained and handcuffed U.S. Sen Alex Padilla at a Los Angeles news conference, leaders of the country’s two political parties responded in what has become a predictable fashion — with diametrically opposed takes on the incident.

Now the senior U.S. senator from California, Alex Padilla’s career in public service started amid intense fervor over immigration in the early 1990s. Now, it comes full circle.

Calif., was forcibly removed from a news conference in Los Angeles on Thursday and detained after trying to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem."I am Sen.

Sen. Alex Padilla's staggering treatment, Trump tries to kill California auto emission standards and more big stories.

Sen. Alex Padilla, in an interview with "Pod Save America," spoke about being violently kicked out of DHS Sec. Kristi Noem's press conference yesterday in LA. Padilla said a briefing he planned to attend was delayed with the secretary arrived.

The senator is known on Capitol Hill for being kind and nerdy. His forcible removal from a news conference resonated as a call to action among Democrats.

Sen. Alex Padilla's detention by law enforcement at a DHS press conference sparked divided reactions, with most Republicans condemning his behavior.

Sen. Alex Padilla was forced to the ground and handcuffed after he interrupted a press conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at the Wilshire Federal Building. He was released shortly thereafter.

Bay Area Republican strategist Matt Shupe described Padilla’s attempt to abruptly question Noem “pure political theatrics.”